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Chad Gilbert, founding member and lead guitarist of the 2000s rock band New Found Glory, has died at the age of 45.
Also known for his former marriage to Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Gilbert was initially diagnosed with liver cancer in 2021. The musician announced in March that he had undergone emergency brain surgery after three tumors were discovered.
His death was announced Sunday by the band and Gilbert’s wife, Lisa Cimorelli, in a joint statement shared on social media.
“On the morning of September 20th, Chad Everett Gilbert passed away peacefully in his sleep,” they wrote. “He left this world surrounded by friends and family and took his final breaths with his wife and mother by his side, just as he wished.”
Gilbert’s bandmates continued, “We are devastated and shocked by how quickly he left us, yet so grateful for how peacefully and smoothly he went. The amount of visitors that crowded the hospital lobby at a moment’s notice is a testament to how beloved and cherished Chad was, and always will be. He was a legendary musician, but his favorite accomplishment was being a husband and father. His biggest dreams came true. He is survived by his wife, Lisa, his daughter, Lily, his mother, Jackie, and his brother, Brian.”
“Chad’s guitar playing, songwriting, humor, and relentless drive helped shape New Found Glory for nearly three decades,” his bandmates added.
“Through more than a dozen albums, endless tours around the world, and more accolades than we ever could have imagined, Chad challenged all of us to grow as musicians, performers, and human beings. While we are devastated to lose him, we are so grateful for the incredible life he lived, the memories we shared, and the brotherhood we had. His influence will always be part of New Found Glory and his spirit will be felt on every stage we stand on, with every note we play.”
Gilbert revealed in 2021 that he had been diagnosed with a rare form of adrenal gland cancer. His metastatic pheochromocytoma went on to spread to his spine and lungs, which led him to undergo intense chemotherapy. He announced in August 2025 that he had resumed radiation treatments after doctors found a cancerous spot in his back.
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In March this year, Gilbert announced that he had undergone emergency brain surgery after three tumors were discovered. A month later, he reported that his cancer diagnosis had changed from metastatic pheochromocytoma to stage 4 adrenocortical carcinoma — a rare and advanced cancer of the outer layer of the adrenal glands that has spread to distant parts of the body.
Gilbert was previously married to Eisley rocker Sherri Dupree in 2007 and Paramore star Williams from 2016 to 2017.
New Found Glory was formed in Coral Springs, Florida, in 1997, by lead vocalist Jordan Pundik, guitarists Gilbert and Steve Klein, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Joe Moreno.
They went mainstream with their 2002 album Sticks and Stones and its hit “My Friends Over You,” eventually earning them the label, the “godfathers of pop punk.”
Their latest album, Listen Up!, was released in February and featured Gilbert’s guitar, which he recorded while going through chemotherapy.